In a world increasingly driven by artificial intelligence, Stripe’s latest partnership with OpenAI is transforming the way small businesses can engage with consumers. With the launch of “Instant Checkout” within ChatGPT, users can now purchase products directly from popular platforms like Etsy and Shopify without leaving the chat interface. This innovation promises to streamline online shopping and create new revenue opportunities for small businesses.

Starting today, ChatGPT users in the U.S. can shop for items from Etsy merchants, with Shopify integration following soon. This shift to AI-driven shopping interfaces means that merchants can now convert AI recommendations into sales with remarkable ease. As Stripe’s president of technology and business, Will Gaybrick, stated, “Stripe is building the economic infrastructure for AI. We’re working alongside the most ambitious companies to create new AI-powered commerce experiences for billions of people.”

The Instant Checkout feature utilizes a new payment primitive known as the Shared Payment Token (SPT). This technology allows ChatGPT to initiate transactions without exposing the buyer’s payment credentials, thus enhancing security and streamlining the purchase process. When a user requests product recommendations, they can easily complete purchases using their preferred payment methods within the chat itself.

This innovative flow not only simplifies the shopping process for consumers but also opens a new sales channel for small business owners. Merchants receive orders through the Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP), which facilitates seamless transactions while maintaining their standard order management procedures. According to Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, “we’re making it possible for businesses of all sizes to meet people where they are—and for shoppers to complete purchases seamlessly in conversation.”

While the advantages of this new commerce experience are clear, small business owners should also recognize the challenges it may present. The shift toward AI-led commerce requires businesses to adapt their products and checkout processes to be compatible with AI agents. Stripe emphasizes that businesses need to find ways to expose their offerings, pricing, and checkout details in a manner accessible to these agents while ensuring customer payment information remains secure.

Kevin Miller, head of payments at Stripe, highlighted the need for a re-architected approach: “Because agents now sit between businesses and consumers, everything from payments and checkout to fraud checks must be re-architected.” For many small businesses, integrating with multiple AI agents can seem daunting. However, the ACP offers a solution by creating a standardized communication framework that enables merchants to sell through various AI agents without needing separate integrations.

The Agentic Commerce Protocol is positioned as an open standard, meaning it can be adopted by businesses not currently using Stripe while still providing compatibility with their existing payment providers. This flexibility is critical, as it allows small businesses to seize the opportunities presented by AI commerce without requiring a complete overhaul of their payment systems.

Stripe and OpenAI first partnered in 2023 when ChatGPT began utilizing Stripe’s various services, including fraud detection and fast checkout options. Now, with the introduction of Instant Checkout, they are paving the way for a new revenue model that small business owners can tap into, expanding their market reach in this era of agentic commerce.

As the landscape of online shopping evolves, small businesses may find AI as both a challenge and an opportunity. Those willing to adapt their business models and embrace the advances offered by tools like Instant Checkout could find themselves better positioned for growth.

To learn more about the Agentic Commerce Protocol and how it can benefit your business, visit Stripe’s website. For further details on this groundbreaking partnership, check out the original announcement here.

Image via Stripe

This article, “Stripe Launches Instant Checkout in ChatGPT for Seamless AI Commerce” was first published on Small Business Trends